Systematic Investigation of the Influence of Experimental Conditions on TiO2 Nanosheet Structures

Abstract The morphology of TiO2 nanoparticles has great influence on their physical/chemical properties. Controlled synthesis of TiO2 with adjustable morphologies is of utmost importance for their target applications. Herein, a series of TiO2 with continually adjustable shape, size and crystal structures were synthesized via the hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide, followed by the self-assembly using P123 as structure-directing agent and ethylene glycol as co-surfactant under different solvothermal conditions. The effect of the diverse experimental conditions on the TiO2 nanostructures was systematically investigated. Particularly, an optimum TiO2 nanosheet was achieved and the formation of liquid crystal phase was observed. This work provides useful enlightenment for the fabrication of TiO2 nanostructures, which can be potentially employed in diverse fields, such as dielectric materials and photo-catalysts.